The American Mission

"Matthew Palmer’s The American Mission is a can’t-put-it-down thriller. The novel kicks off in an arid, bloodstained refugee camp in Sudan’s southern Darfur region, but spends most of its time in the unruly Democratic Republic of the Congo. There, big money colludes with big power to go after a valuable mineral in the lush interior. Held in the balance is a village that happens to sit on a rich vein of that valuable mineral. Marie is one of the village leaders — a beautiful chieftain’s daughter who uses mad survival skills as well as her engineering degree to try to save her people. Meanwhile, protagonist and U.S. Foreign Service officer Alex Baines juggles his growing interest in Marie with a career-saving mission that puts them at odds with each other. Palmer’s 20 years in the U.S. Foreign Service helps infuse this book with authenticity. A great beach read."